McMullin tops new poll of Utah voters

Independent presidential candidate Evan McMullin is leading in Utah, according to an Emerson College Polling Society survey released Wednesday.

{mosads}McMullin is favored by 31 percent of likely voters in the state. Republican nominee Donald Trump has the support of 27 percent, and Democrat Hillary Clinton is backed by 24 percent.

Another 5 percent support Libertarian nominee Gary Johnson, and 12 percent are undecided.

The poll finds both Trump and Clinton are viewed unfavorably by a majority of likely voters in the state.

Clinton is viewed favorably by 23 percent and unfavorably by 74 percent. Trump is viewed positively by 24 percent and negatively by 72 percent.

The poll finds 51 percent of Utahns who supported Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) the state’s caucuses are backing McMullin and only 29 percent are supporting Trump.

Among likely voters who supported Ohio Gov. John Kasich in the March contest, only 4 percent plan to cast their ballots for Trump in November.

McMullin leads his rivals among people 18 to 34, with 36 percent support. Trump has the advantage among likely voters aged 55 and older.

The poll was conducted from Oct. 17 to 19 among 700 likely voters. The margin of error is 3.6 percentage points.

But other polls have also shown McMullin, a Mormon, in striking distance in the heavily Mormon state. According to the RealClearPolitics average of polls in Utah, Trump has a 6.3-point lead over Clinton, 31.8 percent to 25.5 percent. McMullin is in third place, with 22.8 percent, according to the average.

If he takes Utah on Election Day, McMullin would be the first presidential candidate not running as a Republican or Democrat to win any state since 1968.